CREATIONS GREAT AND SMALL.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

Despite its name, the dishes don't come in twos at Noah's Ark, a fairly new, no-frills Mediterranean/Middle Eastern restaurant in Van Nuys.

Well, actually they do, if you order them that way.

But some of the customers arrive as twosomes, which I guess would please Noah, pictured on an impressive mural spread across one entire dining room wall.

With its relatively inexpensive fare -- the most expensive item being an entree plate holding a quartet of marinated, charbroiled lamb chops at $15.99 -- Noah's has yet to be discovered by locals. Possibly that's because it's on a Valley thoroughfare not particularly recognized for culinary achievement.

It's a clean and comfortable place that serves tasty food, basically chicken and beef in one form or another.

Entrees number 11, most being kebabs, the best the lule kebab ($10.99) of seasoned ground beef and the marinated, moist breast of chicken shish kebab ($10.99).

Orders arrive in platter form with nicely executed rice (or, if you prefer them, fries), pickled turnip and cucumber, green olives, an onion and parsley mixture and charbroiled tomatoes.

A creamy, garlicky dipping sauce also comes with some items.

Like most restaurants of this genre, appetizers, many redolent with garlic, can overshadow main courses.

First timers should definitely try the combination platter ($9.99) of hummus (chickpea dip), moutabel (eggplant dip, also known as baba ganoush), tabbouleh (chopped parsley with cracked wheat), falafel (deep-fried chickpea paste) and kashke (yogurt and walnut dip).

With a basket of warm pita bread, this shareable starter, if finished, can leave you too stuffed to eat your entree.

Incidentally, all of the above can be had separately as appetizer plates ($4.99 and $5.99)

The Noah's Ark kitchen barbecues four little quails ($12.99) as a neat beginning dish if you don't mind pulling these tiny birds apart.

Also, it fashions delicious stuffed grape leaves ($4.99), the meatless kind, and bakes a trio of larger than expected, hot borak pastries ($4.99) filled with cheese and/or spinach.

Obviously intent on keeping the prices down, the restaurant refrains from cooking fish and other expensive ingredients, and prepares a mere two lamb plates, one the previously mentioned lamb chops and the other a cold lamb tongue ($7.50) hors d'oeuvre boosted with lemon and garlic.

Five salads ($3.99 to $6.99), seven sandwiches ($4.50 to $7.99), chicken ($9.99) or beef ($11.99) shawarma entrees and a few other ground meat items round out the savory side of the menu.

Generally, the kitchen satisfies.

Unfortunately, if you have a sweet tooth, you may be disappointed. Don't ready yourself for dessert. Though there are a couple listed, they're not always available. Not even baklava.

Noah's doesn't have an alcohol license, consequently the beverages ($1.50 each) are limited to soft drinks, a yogurt drink called tan, iced tea and orange juice.

Of course, you can order two at a time because ... this is Noah's Ark.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com

NOAH'S ARK

Food: Three stars - Service: Two and one half stars - Value: Three stars

Where: 13641 Burbank Blvd., Van Nuys.

Phone: [phone].

Meals/hours: Open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily except Monday.

Food type: Mediterranean/Middle Eastern.

Cost: Starters from $3 to $13, salads and sandwiches from $4 to $8, entrees from $10 to $16, desserts $3 and $4 each.

Credit cards: All major.

Patio dining: No.

Parking/valet: Free parking in rear. No valet.

Full bar: No alcohol license.

Music/entertainment: Not at present, but planned for future.

Takeout/delivery: Yes on takeout, no on delivery.

Reservations: Taken and helpful.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes -- not necessarily two by two -- are on the menu at Noah's Ark in Van Nuys.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer